In the area of minimal invasive surgery, a viewing and/or documenting apparatus with an endoscope is an advantageous combination of different medical therapeutic and/or diagnostic instruments. A combination of this kind is already disclosed in German patent publication 4,116,810. Here the suggestion is made to place an endoscope forward of a viewing and/or documenting apparatus configured as a surgical microscope. A scissors-like linkage member is mounted between the objective of the surgical microscope and the ocular of the endoscope. The endoscope is linearly movable along a rigid guide column attached to the surgical microscope; that is, the endoscope is mounted so that it can be pulled away.
However, several disadvantages result when utilizing the arrangement according to German patent publication 4,116,810. The scissors-like linkage member takes up a considerable amount of space to accommodate its movement and therefore significantly affects the surgeon. In addition, it is necessary that the surgeon refocus the intermediate image supplied by the endoscope after changing the pull-out length of the endoscope which disturbs the work sequence during surgery. Finally, a change in viewing angle is only possible with the aid of an arrangement of this kind in that the surgical microscope, which is mounted on a stand, can be pivoted completely.
Similar problems also develop when, in lieu of the surgical microscope as the viewing and/or documenting apparatus, an adapter is provided having electro-optical image recorders mounted therein.